best headphones of the 21st century

Navanski

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Sep 7, 2020
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Well as usual your 'best of' list misses a few icons and includes a few which are very dubious indeed.
Where, for instance, are the Koss Portapro? They totally revolutionised portable audio, providing a foldable, lightweight pair of good sounding headphones. They've been around since 1984 and can still be bought today.
Where are the Sennheiser HD414? Yes those small lightweight headphones with the iconic bright yellow foam pads. First seen in 1968. The world's first open backed headphones. They provided a sound with space and airiness no one had heard before from headphones.
And finally, and perhaps controversially, where are the Koss Pro4AA? Released in 1970 for discerning listeners. They were adopted by studios around the world for their detail, neutrality and isolating properties. They also made every other pair of headphones seem flimsy and lightweight. Yes, you can still buy them today.
 

doifeellucky

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The fact the recent CanJam London wasn’t reported on by WHF shows how out of touch they are. This is just a list of all the headphone they’ve reviewed in recent years. So many significant models and brands that haven’t been considered.
 
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LillaQuqen

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Feb 5, 2021
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Well as usual your 'best of' list misses a few icons and includes a few which are very dubious indeed.
Where, for instance, are the Koss Portapro? They totally revolutionised portable audio, providing a foldable, lightweight pair of good sounding headphones. They've been around since 1984 and can still be bought today.
Where are the Sennheiser HD414? Yes those small lightweight headphones with the iconic bright yellow foam pads. First seen in 1968. The world's first open backed headphones. They provided a sound with space and airiness no one had heard before from headphones.
And finally, and perhaps controversially, where are the Koss Pro4AA? Released in 1970 for discerning listeners. They were adopted by studios around the world for their detail, neutrality and isolating properties. They also made every other pair of headphones seem flimsy and lightweight. Yes, you can still buy them today.
Yes I was thinking exactly the same. I had a porta pro and it was epic. Maybe should have included as well the original Sony walkman headphones?
 

Johan Bottema

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Mar 6, 2014
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Many in this list are still available today in newer iterations, so it’s not too late to own a slice of headphone history yourself...

best headphones of the 21st century : Read more
Wow. I had de Grado SR325. A total misbuy. Not much bass. After a while the rigid cable pushed into one of the pods and damaged it. So here it is what is missing. Philips Fidelio X1 & X2, Hifiman Sundara, Hifiman H400S & H400SE, AKG 702, Sennheisser HD650. And then the best high end headphone Dan Clark Audio Stealth
 

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